Changes in gene transcription and taxane production in elicited cell cultures of Taxus × media and Taxus globosa.

The response of two Taxus cell systems to the action of cyclodextrin (CD) and coronatine (CORO), supplied to the culture medium either separately or together, was studied. Two-stage Taxus globosa and Taxus media cell cultures were established and the elicitors were added at the beginning of the second stage. Growth, taxane production, and the expression of known taxol biosynthetic genes, including the recently characterized CoA ligase gene, were studied.

Transcript profiling of jasmonate-elicited Taxus cells reveals a β-phenylalanine-CoA ligase.

Plant cell cultures constitute eco-friendly biotechnological platforms for the production of plant secondary metabolites with pharmacological activities, as well as a suitable system for extending our knowledge of secondary metabolism. Despite the high added value of taxol and the importance of taxanes as anticancer compounds, several aspects of their biosynthesis remain unknown. In this work, a genomewide expression analysis of jasmonate-elicited Taxus baccata cell cultures by complementary DNA-amplified fragment length polymorphism (cDNA-AFLP) indicated a correlation between an extensive elicitor-induced genetic reprogramming and increased taxane production in the targeted cultures.

Triterpenoid saponin content and the expression level of some related genes in calli of Centella asiatica.

Centella asiatica has been extensively studied but there has been no report to date that relates gene expression and centelloside production in non-differentiated tissues. We have determined the content of the four principal triterpenoid bioactive compounds of C. asiatica (asiaticoside, madecassoside, asiatic acid and madecassic acid) in calli grown in different media and checked the expression level of some of the genes in the centelloside biosynthetic pathway.

Immobilization of Galphimia glauca plant cell suspensions for the production of enhanced amounts of Galphimine-B.

We tested the capacity of Galphimia glauca cells to produce galphimine-B (G-B) when under the effects of a two-stage culture system: cell immobilization in Ca2+-alginate beads and culture scale-up from shake-flask to two different types of bioreactor (stirred and airlift). In the shake-flask culture, using optimum media for cell growth (first stage) and G-B production (second stage), the G-B yield was similar in both immobilised and free cells. However, while the free cells accumulated G-B within cytoplasmatic compartments, where it could not be recovered without cell disruption, immobilized cells excreted up to 100 % of the G-B produced.

Biotransformation of hyoscyamine into scopolamine in transgenic tobacco cell cultures.

Hyoscyamine-6beta-hydroxylase (H6H) catalyses the conversion of hyoscyamine into its epoxide scopolamine, a compound with a higher added value in the pharmaceutical market than hyoscyamine. We report the establishment of tobacco cell cultures carrying the Hyoscyamus muticus h6h gene under the control of the promoter CAMV 35S. The cell cultures were derived from hairy roots obtained via genetically modified Agrobacterium rhizogenes carrying the pRi and pLAL21 plasmids.

The effect of methyl jasmonate on triterpene and sterol metabolisms of Centella asiatica, Ruscus aculeatus and Galphimia glauca cultured plants.

Considering that exogenously applied methyl jasmonate can enhance secondary metabolite production in a variety of plant species and that 2,3-oxidosqualene is a common precursor of triterpenes and sterols in plants, we have studied Centella asiatica and Galphimia glauca (both synthesizing triterpenoid secondary compounds) and Ruscus aculeatus (which synthesizes steroidal secondary compounds) for their growth rate and content of free sterols and respective secondary compounds, after culturing with or without 100 microM methyl jasmonate. Our results show that elicited plantlets of G. glauca and to a higher degree C.

Effect of organogenesis on steroidal saponin biosynthesis in calli cultures of Ruscus aculeatus.

Calli cultures derived from Ruscus aculeatus rhizomes were investigated for their potential to biosynthesize saponins. The capacity of undifferentiated tissues to form steroidal saponins is very limited, but when the calli developed organogenesis, mainly aerial shoots and roots, the saponin production increased significantly. Plantlets regenerated from aerial shoots of Ruscus calli showed a saponin pattern similar to that of the callus cultures but the levels of saponins found in the aerial part and roots were significantly greater.

Identification of triterpenoid compounds of Centella asiatica by thin-layer chromatography and mass spectrometry.

The identification of the four principal triterpenoid components of Centella asiatica has been achieved by TLC on silica gel plates and mass spectrometry, as a modification of the method described in the European Pharmacopoeia (5th edn). A combination of ethyl acetate and methanol as the mobile phase was found to be successful in separating these compounds from the rest of the main components of the extract. The spots were detected with anisaldehyde solution.

A Ca(2+)-dependent protein kinase with characteristics of protein kinase C in leaves and mesophyll cell protoplasts from Digitaria sanguinalis: possible involvement in the C(4)-phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase phosphorylation cascade.

In mesophyll cells (MC) of Digitaria sanguinalis, the C(4)-phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (C(4)-PEPC) initiating the photosynthetic pathway is controlled by a complex light-dependent phosphorylation process. We showed previously that the transduction cascade involves the phosphoinositide pathway and a Ca(2+)-dependent step, which precedes the upregulation of the PEPC kinase (PEPCk). We have now further characterized the cascade component requiring Ca(2+).